What’s the difference between soft and hard hail? And does it actually impact the way you work storms?

In this episode of HailChatter, Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt break down a common question in the restoration industry—what makes hail “soft” or “hard.”

The answer may not be as simple as you think.In this episode, we cover:

❄️ How hail forms—the science behind updrafts, supercooled water, and storm cycles

🛠️ What really determines “soft” vs. “hard” hail—and why it might not be what you expect

🔎 Hail rings & the story it tells—what you can learn by looking inside a hailstone📋 Tips on working any hail storms: Three key strategies to work storms smarter

🐸 Hail with frogs inside?! (Yes, it happens!)

If you work in the restoration industry, chase storms, or just love learning about extreme weather, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss!

Subscribe to HailChatter for new episodes every two weeks!

Like, comment, and share your hailstorm experiences below!

It’s HailTrace’s 15-year anniversary—and we’re celebrating with the best storm chasing stories over the years! 🚨

In this special episode, Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt sit down with CEO Derik Kline, Lead Meteorologist John Choquette, and Customer Success Lead Justin Hughes to share the wildest, closest, and most unforgettable storm chases from the past 15 years.

From a busted windshield and a narrow escape in El Reno, to 13 tornadoes in 90 minutes over Dodge City, you’ll hear what it’s really like to chase storms!.

You’ll also find out:

• How the HailStalker truck came to life (hint: it involves cheering for broken glass)

• Why one chase turned into a National Geographic documentary

• And yes...how a herd of peeing cows might’ve contributed to a tornado outbreak (we’ll let you decide) 🐄🌪️

Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at the adventures, close calls, and camaraderie that shaped HailTrace over the last 15 years!

👉 Like, subscribe, and share with your favorite storm chaser.

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It’s the anniversary of the April 29th, 2022 Andover Tornado—one of the most iconic storms in recent memory.

In this episode of HailChatter, Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt take you inside the world of Local Storm Reports (LSRs) and why they matter so much for issuing tornado warnings or working storms in the restoration industry. Topics discussed include:

🌪️ What are LSRs and how are they created

🛰️ Why LSRs are essential for confirming what’s really happening on the ground

🚨 The story of how HailTrace CEO Derik Kline helped trigger tornado warnings—twice in one week

🏠 Where LSRs fit in finding storm damage & a Date Of Loss for an address

If you work in restoration or just love tracking severe weather, this is one episode you don't want to miss.

🎧 If you have not already, like, subscribe and share this episode!

You’ve probably heard it before—Dallas-Fort Worth is the hail capital of the world. But why?

In this episode of HailChatter, Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Product Evangelist Collin Hunt sit down with CEO Derik Kline to break down why DFW gets hit so often—and so hard.

Spoiler: It’s more than just location. It’s about the heat trapped by concrete.

Listen now to learn:

🔥 What the urban heat island effect is—and how it fuels storms

🌪️ Why DFW storms explode at night and curve into the city

📊 The science behind “the cap” and why it matters for hail💥 A billion-dollar storm that could only happen in DFW

🏙️ What this means for those in restoration working storms

Whether you’re a storm nerd or you work storms, this is one episode you don’t want to miss.

Subscribe and Like to see more episodes like this.

We just dropped the official 2025 Hail Forecast! ☄️

In this episode of HailChatter, CEO Derik Kline joins Meteorologist Taylor Cox, Lead Meteorologist John Choquette, and Collin Hunt to walk through what we’ve seen so far—and what’s still to come.

In this episode, we cover:

📍 Which areas have already been hit—and how the 2025 forecast is measuring up

🌪️ Why we are just getting started and this storm season could still bring major events across the U.S.

📊 The patterns behind our forecast and what history tells us

🗺️ State-by-state predictions for the biggest hail potential in 2025

➕ Plus, a bonus look at what to expect during hurricane season!

This episode has it all—from storm chasing stories to deep-dive meteorology and what the restoration industry needs to know this storm season.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe for future episodes

📍 Watch the full forecast to see your state’s storm outlook!

The biggest storm weekend of the year so far brought tornadoes, giant hail, and non-stop severe weather across 20+ states.

In this episode of HailChatter, Meteorologist Taylor Cox, HailTrace CEO Derik Kline, and Lead Mapping Meteorologist Stephen Barabas break down:

🌪️ The Science Behind the Storms – Why this system was so powerful and how it compares to past outbreaks.

🧊 Hail Trends – Why some areas saw massive hailstones while others saw giant tornadoes.

📍 Tracking the Impacts – From College Station to Greensboro, what these storms left behind.

🌪️ Tornado Trends & Comparisons – Was this outbreak anything like March 14th, 2024?

🔍 What’s Next – Is this a preview of the 2025 storm season?

This episode is packed with expert analysis, real-time radar breakdowns, and insights into how severe weather impacts the restoration industry.

📢 Subscribe now and stay ahead of the next big storm!

This episode features:Ozark - St. Louis, MO 4-Star Storm (05:13 - 11:14)College Station - Carthage, TX 4-Star Storm (11:14 - 16:56)Owensboro - Louisville Area - Jeffersontown, KY - Jeffersonville, IN 5-Star Storm (16:56 - 25:07)Greensboro, SC 4-Star Storm (25:07 - 33:57)

Imagine chasing storms for a living—then seeing your own storm-chasing truck on the big screen.

That’s exactly what happened to HailTrace CEO & Founder Derik Kline when he became an extra in the 2024 Twisters movie.

In this episode of HailChatter, meteorologist Taylor Cox sits down with Derik to get an inside look at his time on set.

He shares what it was like to be part of a big-budget production, how filmmakers recreated the thrill of storm chasing, and what Hollywood got right (and wrong) about severe weather.

Plus, he reveals how the production team modeled a storm-chasing vehicle after his own HailStalker II.

In this episode, we cover:

🎬 What it’s really like to be on a major movie set

🌪️ How Twisters compares to real-life storm chasing

🔥 Is it actually possible to “tame” a tornado? Derik shares his thoughts

🎆 What happens if you shoot fireworks into a tornado? We break down the science

If you love storms, movies, or just want to hear what happens when Hollywood meets storm chasing, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!

Listen now and subscribe to HailChatter for more expert insights into the world of weather and restoration!

You’ve probably heard it before—“I’ll take care of that in the off-season.” But in the restoration industry, does an off-season even exist?In Episode 2 of HailChatter, we dig into this question, breaking down weather data and storm restoration industry trends to show why even the most common weather patterns can catch you off guard.For some areas, hailstorms are can pop up year-round. For others, the season follows a clear cycle—but even then, there are surprises. In this episode, we unpack:📊 What the data says about when and where hailstorms most commonly happen🌪️ Why certain cities—like Dallas and Atlanta—see more storms outside of peak season🏠 How contractors can rework past storms to stay busy year-roundWhether you’re booking jobs in the busiest months or looking for opportunities when things slow down, this episode will help you rethink how to maximize every season.

Want to explore the data for yourself? Check out NOAA’s Severe Weather Prediction Tool

Learn more about HailTrace

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